Method oe finishing ob surfacing signs



C. A. DIVINE.

METHOD OF FINISHING 0R SURFACING SIGNS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. I916.

1,304,749. Patented May27, 1919.

CHARLES A. DIVINE,

OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

METHOD OF FINISHING OR SURFACING SIGNS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 27, 1919.

Application filed June 23, 1916. Serial No. 105,509.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. DIVINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Finishing or Surfacing Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of finishing or surfacing signs or similar articles having characters which appear on a different level from the body portion of the sign. As shown in the present embodiment, the invention relates to a novel method of finishing or surfacing signs havin inset characters, so that the character sur aces appear on a level beneath the surface of the sign proper.

The main object of the present method is a method whereby these signs or similar objects or articles may be surfaced or finished quickly and cheaply without the employment of a high degree of skill. One of the main objects of my invention resides in the method of applying the surface or finishing color coating thereto by the use of a tool which contacts with the upper surface only and which tool is provided with the color coating, so that this surface is coated by passing the tool, such as a roller, back andforth over the same. Another step of the present method resides in coating one of the two principal surfaces with a soluble covering, so that when the other surface is coated, care need not be taken to avoid covering or allowing a portion of the newly applied covering to flow or appear upon the first covered coating. As an illustration, in a sign having inset characters, the top surface is first coated with a soluble covering so that when the inset characters are covered. this may be done with a brush and care need not be taken to prevent the coating or covering for the inset characters from appearing on the top surface, since the soluble covering is eventually dissolved, which also removes the surplus color covering which appears on the surface surrounding the inset characters. My method also employs additional novel steps and these as well as the one referred to, will be recognized from a detailed description of the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein is illustrated a sign'in its various steps of completion.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents the step of coating the sign with a soluble covering,

Fig. 2 represents the step preparatoryto covering the inset characters with a color coating,

Fig. 8 represents the step of actually covering the inset characters with a color coata,

F ig.4 represents the step of removing the surplus color coating from the elevated surace,

Fig. 5 represents the step of applying a permanent covering or painting to the elevated surface,

Fig. 6 diagrammatically represents the finished sign, and,

ig. shows a'partial sectional view to illustrate that the characters are inset.

I have chosen to illustrate my improved method in connection with signs having inset characters, but a careful readin of the detailed description following, will illustrate that inset characters are not absolutely essential, since the sign body surface and the character surface should appear on different levels only. In these several views, a sign is shown comprising a metallic body portion 1 having inset characters 2 re resenting the word Ohio. A metallic s eet is taken and after the same is provided with the various inset characters, it is pickled in a suitable bath to remove the scale or metallic oxids which appear on its surface. After this, the entire sign is galvanized, which represents the step of weather proofing. The particular manner of galvanizing is not essential and further, other means of weather proofing may be resorted to, if desired, without departing from the scope of the present invention. After this has been done, the sign is in the condition as represented in Fig. 1, which figure illustrates the step of applying a soluble covering to one of the surfaces, which is shown as being the surface of the sign proper. In order to prevent this soluble covering from also covering the surfaces representing the inset characters, I apply the same by the use of a roller shown diagrammatically at 3, which roller is first suitably coated or covered with a solvent such as sodium silicate and then passed and repassed over the body surface until this surface is entirely covered. This operation may be accomplished manually or by machine, as desired. It will follow that since the body surface is substantially fiat,

the use of a roller 3 enables me to thoroughly cover this body surface without allowing the solvent to enter the inset surfaces. After this step, the finished coloring surface for the inset characters is applied. This may be accomplished in various ways and as illustrated in Fig. 2, the sign is being prepared for this color coating. Fig. 2 represents the step of applying an adhesive, for which varnish is particularly adapted. This adhesive may be applied by means of a brush shown at 4, either manually or mechanically and in order to avoid the exercise of extreme skill, the entire surface of both the inset characters and body portion may be covered, it being essential only that the inset surfaces are thoroughly covered. It will also be understood that this step takes place preferably after the sodium silicate or other soluble covering has dried. After this, and before the varnish dries, the entire sign may be immersed or sprayed, as I have shown, with aluminum dust which adheres to the sign by virtue of the sticking qualities of the varnish. This step is illustrated in Fig. 3 and after the varnish has dried, the sign is immersed in a bath to dissolve the soluble covering. Where sodium silicate is used, water may be used as the bath and since this solvent covered the entire sign body surface, all subsequent coatings above the soluble coating Will also be removed. It will, therefore, appear that, as the sign appears in Fig. 4, it has been provided with a permanent color covering for the inset characters, it is then necessary only to finish the body surface and this is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein a roller 5 similar to the roller designated 3 in Fig. l, is resorted to. This roller may be covered with a suitable paint and then passedrand repassed over the body surface as illustrated, until it is completely covered. I have found refined coal tar to be particularly adaptable for this purpose. After this has been done, the sign is completed as far as its finishing for appearance is concerned.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a novel method of finishing signs formed of two relatively spaced surfaces. The entire sign may be weather proofed or not, as desired, and then one of these surfaces is coated with a soluble covering which enables the application of a color coating to the other surface, by unskilled labor or without exercising care to prevent this color coating from also falling upon the first covered surface. This surplus color coating or that which appea on the surface where it is not desired, may then be removed by dissolving the first applied soluble covering and this surface from which the soluble covering has been removed, may then be given a permanent covering, such as paint. I have illustrated a convenient means by which the soluble covering and the permanent painted covering may be applied, this taking the form of the rollers 3 and 5. By the use of these rollers, I am assured that asurplus covering will not be applied and also that the covering will appear only on the one surface and not in the character surfaces.

What I claim, is:

1. The method of finishing signs or similar articles having inset characters, which consists in coating the elevated surface with a soluble covering, applying a color coating to the inset surfaces and the elevated surface surrounding the inset characters, removing the color coating which appears on the elevated surface by dissolving the soluble covering, and then painting the elevated surface with a permanent covering.

2. The method of finishing signs or similar articles having inset characters, which consists in coating the elevated surface with a soluble covering, applying an adhesive to the inset surfaces and the elevated surface surrounding the inset characters, applying a powdered color coating which adheres to said adhesive, removing the color coating which appears on the elevated surface by dissolving the soluble covering, and then painting the elevated surface with a permanent covering.

3. The method of finishing signs or similar articles having inset characters, which consists in coating the elevated surface with sodium silicate, applying varnish to the inset surfaces and the elevated surface surrounding the inset characters after the silicate is dry, spraying with aluminum dust while the varnish is moist, placing the sign in a bath to dissolve the silicate and to remove the superposed layers of varnish and dust, and then painting the elevated surface with a permanent covering.

4. The method of finishing signs or similar articles having inset characters which consists in coating the elevated surface with a soluble covering by passing a roller covered with the solvent over the elevated surface so that the inset surfaces are untouched, applying a color coating to the inset surfaces and the elevated surface surrounding the inset characters, removing the colorcoating which appears on the elevated surface by dissolving the soluble covering, and then applying a permanent covering to the elevated surface by passing a roller covered with such covering over it.

5. The method of finishing metallic signs or similar articles having inset characters which consists in pickling the sign to remove all metallic oxids, galvanizing said sign,

then coating the elevated surface with a soluble covering, applying a color coating to thoroughly cover theinset portions and the elevated surface surrounding said characters, removing the colorcoating which appears on the elevated surface by dissolving the. soluble covering and then painting the elevated surface with a permanent covering.

6. The method of, finishing metallic signs or similar articles having inset characters which consists in pickling to remove the metallic oxids, galvanizing said signs, coat ing the elevated surface with a soluble covering, applying a color coating to the inset surfaces and the elevated surface surrounding the inset characters, removing the color coating which appears on the elevated surface by immersing the sign in a bath to dissolve the soluble covering, and then applying a permanentcovering by painting, the elevated surface.

' 7. The method of finishing signs or similar articles having characters appearing on a diflerentlevel with the sign body, which consists in coating the surface forming one of said levels with a soluble covering, a plying a color coating to both of said surf aces, removing the color coating which appears on the surface coated with the soluble covering by dissolving the soluble covering and then painting the uncovered surface with a permanent covering.

In testimony whereof'I aflix my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. DIVINE. 

